Hear from Chief Estella D. Patterson about her journey in law enforcement and her position as Chief of Police. Estella D. Patterson was appointed as chief of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) on Dec. 1, 2025. She returns to Charlotte, after serving 25 years with CMPD and three and one-half years with the Raleigh Police Department. Chief Patterson’s career reflects her passion and commitment to public service. Her priorities lie in reducing violent crime and disorder, enhancing community engagement and collaboration and improving employee morale and wellness. Chief Patterson began her law-enforcement career in 1996, as a member of the 123 recruit class of CMPD. Over the next 25 years, she served in a variety of roles from academy trainer to patrol sergeant, division commander, recruitment commander and Internal Affairs commander. She was promoted to deputy chief of police in 2019 and assigned over the Administrative Services Group and later the Patrol Services Group. In August 2021, Chief Patterson was selected as chief of the Raleigh Police Department, serving until 2025. As Raleigh’s top cop, she led the capital city’s police department of over 900 sworn and professional staff employees. During her tenure, she introduced several firsts, including a Civilian Crash Investigations unit and the Raleigh Police Department Foundation. Additionally, she led efforts to reduce violent crime and restore trust between the community and police. Aside from serving her community, Chief Patterson served our country as a member of the U.S. Army Reserve from 1996-2005. She completed combat tours in Kosovo and Iraq and was the recipient of the Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service. Chief Patterson earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and her Master of Science in criminal justice from the University of Oklahoma. She is a graduate...
